A Helpful Hint for Low Back Pain

Hi everyone, if you are anything like me, you don’t let a little back pain stop you. Ever get that telltale twinge that tells you that you have over done it? A quick fix that I have found is going into extension over a Swiss ball. Those are the big rubber balls you find in a gym they usually run between 55mm and 75mm. It will tell you on the side of the box which size is right for your height. What often complicates the pain is that many of us have sedentary jobs and we sit at a desk and computer for a majority of the day. When we sit, that position is called flexion so you want to do a counter pose to help alleviate the tension you have caused from being in that position too long. It not only helps alleviate stress and elongate the spine, it will also stretch the pectoralis (upper chest) muscles which tend to pull forward and contract while we sit over a desk. You can also do side stretches over the ball which also feel wonderful. Remember to do both sides even if you are only hurting on one side, but cut back on the intensity. If you are a beginner please have someone with you while you perform these stretches so you don’t fall. You will get good at it in no time. This is just one hint. Stay tuned for more hints next week.